Semi-autonomous underwater vehicle

ABSTRACT

A semi-autonomous underwater vehicle has (a) a hull; (b) one or more thruster motors; (c) a preprogrammed controller for controlling the motors and/or separate steering components to carry out a plurality of different maneuvers; and (d) a wireless signal receiver for providing instructions to the controller.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/595,808, filed on Feb. 7, 2012, entitled SEMI-AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER VEHICLE, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to devices useful in defusing emergency situations arising from the overly aggressive behavior of a cetacean (e.g. killer whale) or other large aquatic animal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Emergency situations arising from the overly aggressive behavior of a cetacean or other large aquatic animal occasionally arise. Such emergency situations most often arise with respect to killer whales performing or being trained in an aquatic amusement park.

Overly aggressive behavior need not be mean behavior to create an emergency. Overly aggressive playfulness can also cause an emergency situation given that cetaceans and other large aquatic animals are very large and are very excellent swimmers. Trying to diffuse such emergency situations by chasing the aquatic animal or by trying to coax the aquatic animal to a corner of a performing pool (where the animal can be lifted to the surface of the water) are often unduly time consuming or otherwise ineffectual.

Accordingly, there is the need for a new device for defusing emergency situations arising from the overly aggressive behavior of large aquatic animals which is more quickly implemented and which is more likely to achieve success.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention satisfies this need. The invention is a semi-autonomous underwater vehicle comprising (a) a hull; (b) one or more thruster motors; (c) a preprogrammed controller for controlling the motors and/or separate steering components to carry out a plurality of different maneuvers; and (d) a wireless signal receiver for providing instructions to the controller.

The invention is designed to autonomously execute pre-programmed maneuvering patterns.

DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a semi-autonomous underwater vehicle having features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a left side, partial cut-away, perspective view of the semi-autonomous vehicle illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a left side view of the semi-autonomous vehicle illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the semi-autonomous vehicle illustrated in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the invention and several variations of that embodiment. This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those particular embodiments. Practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well.

The invention is a semi-autonomous vehicle 10 comprising a hull 12, one or more thruster motors 14, a pre-programmed controller 16 and a wireless receiver 18. One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings.

The invention provides an underwater vehicle 10 designed to act as a “distractor” to marine animals with the intention of modifying their behavior. In this regard, the invention can be thought of as performing the function of a rodeo clown in aqueous environments. The invention also has the ability to be operated in non-emergency situations, such as a “show enhancement” device within an aquatic theme park environment.

The hull 12 typically has plastic side walls 20 and a rounded nose 22 cast in an elastomeric material, such as urethane rubber—so as to allow the vehicle 10 to bounce off obstacles in its path. A top wall 23 of the hull 12 defines a top side opening 24 to allow air within the hull to escape when the vehicle 10 submerges.

The hull 12 typically further comprises a float pack 25 comprising styrofoam or similar buoyant material to increase the buoyancy of the underwater vehicle 10.

The one or more thruster motors 14 are driven by electricity stored in lightweight batteries disposed within the hull 12. The thruster motors 14 are used to propel the vehicle.

The thruster motors 14 can also be used as left, right, up and down steering components by making relative changes in the thrusting power provided by one or more of the thruster motors 14. The steering components can alternatively comprise rudders or other commonly known steering equipment.

The preprogrammed controller 16 is adapted to control the motors 14 and the steering components to carry out a plurality of different preprogrammed maneuvers.

The preprogrammed controller 16 typically comprises a central processing unit.

The wireless signal receiver 18 is adapted to receive instructions and provide those instructions to the controller 16. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the wireless receiver 18 comprises a radio frequency (e.g. WiFi) antenna 26, an acoustic receiver 27 and a crash guard 28.

The preprogrammed maneuvers can be circles, figure 8s, wiggles, etc., either in two dimensions or in three dimensions. The pre-programmed maneuvers are based on available maneuvering space and the planned entry point for each application. The vehicle 10 is preferably designed so that, if it encounters a wall or another obstacle, the vehicle 10 will adjust its behavior to compensate for the obstacle and continue to run the ordered maneuver. Once in the water, the initial maneuvers can be terminated and new maneuvers initiated by commanding the vehicle 10 through either radio communications or acoustic communications.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the vehicle 10 comprises a typical payload module 30 that contains, cable management equipment and three individual function providers 32. The function providers 32 include, for example, lights 34, a sound transducer 36 and a vibrator 38. Control of the payload module 30 is accomplished by the controller 16. Control of the payload module 30 includes the ability to preprogram individual function providers 32, to turn them on or off, to preprogram patterns that include the available function providers 32, and to remotely control the individual function providers 32 as well as the patterns.

The lights 34 can be commercial off the shelf (COTS) units (e.g. Deep Sea Power and Light—12LED On Hull SeaLite, green color) that flash/strobe at ˜5×per second or are constantly on. The lights 34 can be preprogrammed to provide additional distractor functions.

Sounds can also provide other distractor functions. Sounds can be generated from an internal COTS MP3 player capable of standard programming of whatever sound required to the transducer 36. In one embodiment, the sounds play for about 8 minutes and then repeat in a continuous loop.

The vibrator 38 can provide yet additional distractor functions. The vibrator 38 suitable for generating the distracting vibrations can be similar to vibrators used in cell phones.

While under water, the maneuvering behavior of the vehicle 10, as well as the activation of payload function providers 32, can be controlled via an acoustic modem pulse method. Such communication is typically one-way from a control station to the vehicle, and each command is typically short and unique to ensure only the desired behavior or payload function is activated.

Communications to the vehicle 10 are preferably accomplished through the integrated use of underwater acoustics and surface wireless communications. On the surface, the vehicle 10 maintains real-time 2-way wireless communications (WiFi) with an operator control station (OCS). When submerged, the vehicle 10 receives subsurface wireless commands from the operator control station (OCS) via an underwater acoustic modem. The acoustic modem is used to command payload module 30 functions and swim patterns. Typical acoustic communication systems are used in the commercial world to control and receive data from prior art automated underwater vehicles. However, the nature of a contained aquatic ecosystem, such as a pool or aquarium is an extremely difficult environment for typical acoustic systems to effectively operate. The shallow water and reflective surfaces produce signal multipath which then corrupts or distorts the communicated command. The vehicle 10 preferably incorporates multi-tone transmission acoustics into its communication system to ensure the desired command is received.

The system controls allow for the payload module 30 to be operated in real time as well as effect real-time changes to pre-programmed vehicle 10 swim patterns (circles, figure eights, etc.) and selected operating depths (surface, mid-water or near-bottom).

One specific embodiment of the invention has the following characteristics and features:

-   -   Ability to modulate speed of vehicle 10 of up to 4 knots     -   Lightweight, <55 lbs./Positively Buoyant     -   Approximate Dimensions: 33″×10″×12″     -   Modular design, easily reconfigurable for different         distracters/payloads     -   Portable/Single person deployable     -   Stowage locker/battery charging station, one in the same     -   Continuous battery operation up to 30 minutes     -   Self diagnostic system     -   The ability to operate in any body of water, fresh or saltwater,         at both surface and sub-surface levels to a depth of 50 feet of         sea water (fsw).

The invention typically provides a vehicle 10 which is:

-   -   Lightweight, easily handled by one person     -   Deployable without delay     -   Battery-operated and untethered     -   Can be retrieved or its operation modified by the operator,         based on observation of the environment, e.g. crowd or animal         reaction     -   Incorporates multiple distraction devices, i.e., light, sounds,         vibrations     -   Is programmable and controllable to allow trainers to elicit         desired responses

Having thus described the invention, it should be apparent that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope and fair meaning of the instant invention as set forth hereinabove and as described hereinbelow by the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A semi-autonomous underwater vehicle comprising: (a) a hull; (b) one or more thruster motors; (c) a preprogrammed controller for controlling the motors and the steering components to carry out a plurality of different pre-programmed maneuvers; and (d) a wireless signal receiver for providing instructions to the controller.
 2. The semi-autonomous underwater vehicle of claim 1 wherein the thruster motors provide the vehicle with the ability to steer the vehicle left, right, up and down.
 3. The semi-autonomous underwater vehicle of claim 1 wherein the vehicle further comprises one or more function providers chosen from the list of function providers consisting of lights, transducers and vibrators.
 4. The semi-autonomous underwater vehicle of claim 3 wherein the function providers are activated and deactivated pursuant to a preprogrammed schedule.
 5. The semi-autonomous underwater vehicle of claim 1 wherein the wireless signal receiver is adapted to accept acoustic modem/pulse signals while the vehicle is underwater. 